Schoolly d

Jesse B. Weaver, Jr., known professionally as Schoolly D, was born on 22 June 1962 in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and emerged as a pioneering rap artist. After growing up in Philadelphia and Georgia, he began collaborating with DJ Code Money in the mid‑1980s, producing tracks that reflected urban realism and raw street narratives. Schoolly D’s early work culminated in the 1988 album Smoke Some Kill, featuring the influential single "Signifying Rapper", which positioned him at the forefront of the emerging gangsta rap scene. In 1991 he released the album How A Blackman Feels, which further solidified his reputation. He continued to release albums throughout the 1990s, including Welcome to America (1994), Reservoir Dog (1995), and The Player (1998), while collaborating with artists such as Public Enemy’s Chuck D and contributing music to Abel Ferrara films. Schoolly D maintained an active presence in the industry, issuing compilations like The Best Of Schoolly D (2003) and albums such as The Real Hardcore (2019) and Cause Schoolly D Is Crazy (2022).